We’ve been making the most of the sunny weather and at last the trees are getting pruned. However, squawking and squealing from one of the chickens was distracting us. One definitely was in a flap – she ran backwards and forwards along the fence and even managed to hurl herself up on top of it even though we’d clipped her wings yesterday. She finally quietened down and went inside the hen house. Did that mean…?

Back up the ladder and more lopping, only to almost fall off because of an almighty screech from the hen house. We walked over to see what was happening, the noisy chicken eventually appeared. She seemed calm and started pecking the ground as if nothing was the matter. Richard opened the back of the hen house and yes! there in the nest box was our very first egg, almost 17 weeks after getting the chicks. Not too small, pinky brown and, we can confirm, very tasty! So we’re hoping this is the first of very many – although we’re not so sure about the drama every day!

And here they are enjoying the winter sun: